Vanity case



Dec. 13, 1938. s. MORRISON 2,140,036

VANITY CASE Filed Jan. 20, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l nmmnnmmwmhammammummmnm v'5, aaunmmmmmuwmammmmmmmwnuwu ATTO RNEYS Patented Dec. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to vanity cases, which are carried by ladies for make-up purposes.

Included in vanity cases are a mirror, a powder puff, a supply of powder, and sometimes other articles. The powder may be in the form of an easily pulverizable cake, or it may be in loose form. Loose powder is preferable because of certain undesirable effects produced by the binder which is present in a cake of powder. However, it is inherently difficult to carry loose powder about and use it in small quantities without untidy results. Thus, much effort has been devoted to the development of satisfactory forms of loose powder vanity cases.

Considerable success has been achieved in the efforts to satisfactorily enclose a supply of loose powder and render small quantities of it readily available for individual applications. However, rigid box-type vanity cases have been required for the purpose. These are in wide use, but they tend to be bulky and heavy, and they cannot be stowed and carried in some ladies pocketbooks and handbags with the convenience of a flexible vanity case.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a flexible vanity case which will satisfactorily carry a supply of loose powder and render small quantities of the powder readily available for individual applications.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the replenishment of the powder supply in such a vanity case.

A further object of the invention is tok provide a light weight, flexible vanity case which can be 35 inexpensively manufactured on a quantity production basis.

Various other and specific objects of the invention will be apparent from the following disclosure of illustrative forms of the invention.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a plan view, showing a vanity caseof the present invention in closed condition.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the closed vanity case of Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan. view, showing the vanity of Figs. 1 and 2 in open co-ndition.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged. cross section, taken in 50 general on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section, taken in general on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan of a modified vanity case in open condition.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary plan view of a second modification, the vanity case being in open condition.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan View, showing a slightly different form of the powder magazin structure shown in Fig. 7.

Reference will rst be had to Figures 1 to 5. The exterior of the case is formed of a strip of flexible sheet material, operatively subdivided into a center section I0 and flaps II and I2. Over the interior of center section I0 is a pocketforming flexible sheet I4, which is secured to section II) along edges A, B, and C. Adhesively or otherwise attached to flap I2 is a mirror I5. When the case is closed, nap II is folded over pocket-forming sheet I4 and then flap I2 is folded over flap I I (see Fig. 2). Projecting from the outside of center section I0 is a strap IB which is used to secure the case in closed condition, the free end of the strap being provided with a snap-fastener element II which cooperates with a second fastener element I8 mounted on the outside of flap I2.

Any suitable sheet material (e. g., leather) may be used for the outside case (sections I0, II, and I2) and for pocket-forming sheet I4. Often the sheet material will be a laminated fabric, made up of a body layer having silk fabric of different colors secured toy the two faces of the body layer. The cut edges of the material may be overseamed as shown in the drawings, e. g., at A, B, and C; and the overseaming may be used to secure sheet I4 to center section I0 along edges A and C.

Attached to sheet I4 is a rigid powder magazine assembly designated as a whole by 20. The main part entering into this assembly is a sheet metal stamping which includes a bottom portion 2I, an annular wall portion 22, an annular rabbet portion 24, an annular rim 25, and eight attachment fingers 2li. The bottom 2I is slotted to receive a corrugated roller 2'! which is mounted on a shaft 28 that is inserted through holes in the wall 22 as shown in Fig. 4.

Pivotally attached to the aforesaid sheet metal stamping is a sheet metal closure 30 having an annular bead 3I, a thumb-nail portion 32, and latching flanges 33, 33 which project substantially perpendicularly from closure 30. When the closure 30 is in closed position, fingers 33, 33 project through holes 34, 34 in the main stamping and make snap engagement with the edges of the holes. In closed position the edge portion of closure 30 lies in rabbet 22, thus making a fairly powder-tight engagement. Preferably a denite powder seal is made by an annular felt gasket 35 which is adhesively secured to bottom 2I and is engaged by bead 3I of cover 30. It will be seen that the powder magazine assembly includes a powder compartment closed by lid 30 which can be opened by inserting a thumb nail under portion 32.

The powder magazine assembly is positioned on top of sheet I4 and secured thereto by ngers 26 wln'ch pass through the sheet and are clinched on the under side. Sheet I4 is provided with a slot at s through which the periphery of roller 21 projects into the puff compartment 36 that is formed between sheet I4 and the outer case structure. When a puff 31 is inserted into or withdrawn from the puff compartment 36,4 the puff engages roller 21 and rotates the same, thereby feeding powder from the powder compartment to the puff. Y

In Fig. 6 the exterior case is the same as in Figs. 1 to 5 except that flap IIa. extends at right angles to ilap I5 and the puff compartment has its open edge at the side, as indicated by the position of puff 31. The powder magazine assembly is the same as in Figs. 1 to 5 except that roller 21 is omitted and powder is allowed to sift through perforations p in bottom 2Ia. Of course, sheet Ida, to which the powder magazine assembly is attached, is cut away in an area corresponding to bottom 2Ia.

In Fig. '7 the bottom 2Ia of the powder compartment is perforated as in Fig. 6 and a slidable grid 40 is positioned against the bottom. This grid has a center portion provided with perforations p which may be brought into register with certain of the perforations p in bottom 2Ia. Additionally grid 40 has a series of bars 4I lwhich cover and uncover perforations p in bottom 2Ia. Fingers 2, 42 project from the wall of the powder compartment and overlie grid 40. Integral with grid 40 is an actuator extension 43 which passes through the wall of the powder compartment and up through a notch in rim 25a. By shifting extension 43 the grid 40 is moved to sift powder to puff 31, the action being similar to that of a kitchen our sifter. Or, the opening and closing of the vanity case may be relied upon to sift Ythe powder to the puff, while grid 40 is positioned to give the desired effective sifting opening.

Fig. 8 illustrates a Variation of grid arrangement, in which the grid is shiftable by an eX- tension 43a which projects in the direction vof grid movement.

In compliance with the patentV statutes, I have disclosed the best forms in which I have contemplated applying my invention, but it will be understood that the disclosure is illustrative and not limiting.

What is claimed is:

1. A vanity case comprising: an exter1or case structure of exible material; a rigid powder magazine assembly within the exterior case, the magazine assembly having a compartment for loose powder; and means flexibly attaching the magazine assembly to the exterior case, there being a puff compartment between the magazine assembly and the exterior case.

2. A vanity case as in claim 1, with means to effect the transfer of powder from the powder compartment to the puff compartment'.

3. A vanity case as in claim 1, with means to effect the transfer of powder from the powder compartment to the puff compartment, said means being actuated by a puff inserted and removed from the puff compartment..

4.` A vanity case as in claim 1, in which the exterior case includes a ap folded over the powder magazine assembly.

5. A vanity case as in claim 1, in which the exterior case includes two ilaps, one folded over the powder magazine assembly, and the other provided with a mirror and folded over the rst ap.

6. A vanity case as in claim 1, in which the bottom of the powder compartment is provided with a plurality of perforations.

7. A vanity case as in claim 1, in which the bottom of the powder compartment is provided with a plurality of perforations, anda slidable grid is positioned adjacent to the bottom of the powder compartment.

8. A vanity case comprising: a case structure of flexible material; and a metal powder magazine assembly attached to the flexible material. the magazine assembly having a compartment for loose powder, and having a hinged closure for the powder compartment.

9. In a vanity case, a powder magazine assembly comprising: a sheet metal powder compartment formed withv an annular metal rim; an annular gasket positioned within the powder compartment; and a sheet metal closure for the powder compartment, the closure being movable to closed position within the rim and having an annular bead to engage said gasket.

10. In a vanity case, a powder magazine assembly comprising: a sheet metal powder compartment formed with an annular metal rim and an annular rabbet within the rim, the rabbet portion being provided with at least one latch hole; and a hinged sheet metal closure movable into the rabbet, the closure having a latching finger which projects through the latch hole and makes snap-engagement with an edge of the hole.

11. A structure as in claim 10, in which there is an annular sealing gasket, and the closure is provided with an annular bead which engages the gasket when the closure is in closed position.

sIMoN MoRRisoN. 

